A Simple Discussion of No Particular Importance
by Med Bajer
Summary: Charlie and Neil share a little heart-to-heart of some sorts on their respective affections. Slash, CharlieKnox, NeilTodd.


**A Simple Discussion of No Particular Importance, or so he says.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Summary: Charlie and Neil share a little heart-to-heart of some sorts on their respective affections. Slash, Charlie/Knox, Neil/Todd.**

**A/N: THIS IS SLASH. If this offends you, do not read. **

**A little one-shot from the dastardly mind of yours truly. Enjoy!**

**----------**

First he called it typical of Overstreet, and then he rethought, and changed "typical" to "normal".

"Just like _you_, Dalton," he muttered savagely, nearly ripping his page apart as he turned it, "just like you to want to be _abnormal_", Dalton. Just like you to turn out to be a bleeding poof."

He paused and turned to the next page, although his eyes never registered the words on the book at all. It was just to occupy him, he thought, just to keep him from doing something more drastic like ramming his head against the wall.

"Knox is normal," he mused, dark eyes softening somewhat, "Knox is a perfectly normal guy. Don't ruin that for him, Dalton. He was just being a normal person, so stop thinking it's plain typical, you absolute _dork_."

"Funny," a voice from behind caused Charlie to jump. "It's not like you to be self-deprecating, Charlie."

Watching Neil walk over to him with a dark scowl, Charlie could not help but feel rather... exposed, as if someone had just found out all his deep dark secrets. Actually, upon second thought, he realised that Neil probably just had.

"You should have knocked," He growled. And then, as an afternote, "how much have you heard?"

Sitting crosslegged on Charlie's bed, Neil seemed rather unaffected by Charlie's less-than-welcoming tone.

"Enough," he ventured, and then grinned, "nothing I haven't already known."

Charlie glanced sharply at Neil, "does Knox know?"

"No," Neil's eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched Charlie relax, "If he's anywhere as thick as you are, he'd probably wouldn't have guessed it."

Dalton scowled again. "Bullshit," he said, "Knox is smart."

"There you go."

The cryptic reply only served to fuel Charlie's annoyance that arose from his uncomfortable predicament. Then his mind cleared, whirred and clicked. "He does?"

Neil shrugged, obviously baiting his friend with much enjoyment. "I don't know," he answered truthfully, and then leaned forward to search Charlie's downcast face with perceptive eyes. "Why don't you tell him?"

Charlie choked back a laugh of some sorts, turning fully in his chair to face Neil. "Perry, are you freakin' _serious_? Of _course_ I can't tell him! One, I'd scare him away. Two, my parents will kill me, and we'll both be expelled. Three, has it occurred to you that he's obviously straight?"

"Are you talking about Chris?"

Charlie rolled his eyes. "No, Neil, I'm talking about the lunch lady," he said sarcastically, giving a deadpan look in response to Neil's chuckle.

"For all you know, he may swing both ways."

"Well, _that's_ a sweet assumption," Charlie half-snarled, and then his wild sarcasm softened into self-consciousness, a trait not usually associated with Charlie Dalton. "D'you think it's possible?"

"Bullshit, nothing's imposible."

Charlie was struck with the familiarity of the reply, and as his mind whirred and ticked again, his moment of self-doubt vanished into a dastardly grin. "Funny," he said, "I remember you telling something along the lines of that to Todd."

Neil's jaunty teasing manner ebbed as he surveyed his friend warily; Charlie_ was_ quite a compulsive talker, but he seldom made remarks like that without a hidden agenda. "Two questions," he tried to sound nonchalant, "What were you doing eavesdropping on us, and what the hell are you trying to say?"

"I've been your friend since first year, if you'd remember. It's hard to pull a fast one on me, Neil Perry, and it's even harder to hide something from the almighty Charlie Dalton. I must say Todd's quite a nice target, but I'd let you have him. He's too quiet for me."

"Are you suspecting or do you know?" This time, it was Neil's turn to feel somewhat exposed.

"I know," Charlie's cocksure smirk had returned to wreck vengeance, "like I said, I'm the almighty Charlie Dalton."

"Don't tell. I don't want to freak out Todd."

"Don't tell Knox and I won't tell Todd."

Neil quirked an eyebrow, "are you threatening to blackmail me?"

"I most certainly am," Charlie quirked an eyebrow back, "is that a deal?"

"Yeah."

They fell silent for a while, the clock on the wall ticking with surprising volume. Charlie looked down, intent on studying the patterns on the floorboards.

Finally, Neil attempted to reassure his visibly jittery friend. "Don't worry. I think you still stand a chance."

Charlie gave a self-deprecating snort, "yeah. As much chance as the almighty Charlie Dalton getting expelled from this school."

"A very good chance, then."

"Shut up." Charlie's hand reached back, lighted on a pencil, and he flung it at Neil. "Why don't you worry about your problems instead of reminding me of mine?"

"What problems?"

"You know, Todd?" Charlie waved a hand. "Like, leave me and Knox alone for the moment. It's not like you are better off than me."

"Oh, I am." Neil smiled, "at least I know he doesn't know anyone in the vicinity outside of Hellton."

Charlie's countenance swung, and changed to soberness. "Why don't you just tell him? At least you know he won't react as violently as Knox will. I don't think he'll freak out very badly. You could stay friends, unlike what's put at stake if I should even hint it to Knox."

Neil shrugged, "it's probably something I'm gonna take with me into the grave, Charlie. I don't say things like that easily, you know. At least, not when I really mean it." He shrugged again, and then rose abruptly. "Well, good night."

On cue, the bell rang to signal lights out.

Both didn't say anything more, just turned back to their respective attentions; Charlie to his book, and Neil to the door.

As Charlie's room door clicked shut, both boys were once again alone with their respective worries and affections.

Heaving a resigned sigh, Charlie smiled lopsidedly, looking quite bitter for all his mirth. "Well," he said, "maybe you should just leave him alone, Dalton. It wouldn't work out anyway, at least not in a million years. Not while the almighty Charlie Dalton's still obviously undecided."

He turned another page.

-End-


End file.
